Behind The Username

CHAPTER 7: THE COMFORT OF COMPANY

«WHISPER

MoonlitInk (8:12 P.M.)

What's the weirdest compliment you've ever received?

Orion (8:14 P.M.)

Someone once told me I looked intimidating.

MoonlitInk

...Were they wrong?

A few seconds passed.

Orion

You tell me.

Lena smiled at her screen.

MoonlitInk

I can't.

I don't know what you look like.

Another pause.

Orion

Exactly.

She laughed softly, shaking her head.

Goodnight, Mr. Intimidating.

Orion

Goodnight, Ms. Curious.»

---

Monday arrived with the usual rush of backpacks, coffee cups and students sprinting across campus after oversleeping.

Lena adjusted the strap of her bag as she hurried toward the Psychology building.

She was almost at the entrance when she noticed a familiar figure standing beside the notice board.

Ethan.

He was studying a printed schedule with the same concentration he gave everything else.

She slowed her pace.

"Morning."

He looked up.

"...Morning."

She glanced at the notice board.

"Did they change the project schedule again?"

"They moved our third interview."

She sighed dramatically.

"Again?"

He nodded.

"Apparently the professor double-booked the room."

Lena smiled.

"So it's not just us who struggle with organization."

"...Apparently not."

She laughed.

"You've started saying 'apparently' a lot."

"I have?"

"You have."

"I'll blame you."

"Me?"

"You say it too."

She thought about it.

"...I do."

For a moment, they simply stood there, looking at the updated timetable.

It was a quiet moment.

But it no longer felt awkward.

Just... familiar.

A lecturer walked past, calling students into class.

"I should go," Lena said.

"So should I."

She took a few steps before turning back.

"See you later?"

Ethan nodded once.

"For the interviews."

"For the interviews."

Neither of them realized...

They were both looking forward to it.

---

Two hours later...

The university's Innovation Lab buzzed with activity.

Tables had been arranged for the Psychology and Engineering students working on the AI research project.

Professor Bennett stood at the front of the room.

"Today's goal is simple."

"Interview volunteers, compare observations and begin identifying patterns."

Lena found Ethan already setting up their station.

"You got here early."

"So did you."

She glanced at the clock.

"...By two minutes."

"I noticed."

"You really notice everything."

"I've been told."

She laughed.

"Let's get started before Maya starts accusing us of actually being responsible."

As if on cue...

Maya appeared carrying a clipboard.

"I heard my name."

"You always do," Lena replied.

"And I always will."

Mason followed a few steps behind, balancing a pile of consent forms.

He nodded toward Ethan.

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Mason leaned toward Lena and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear,

"He says that before every presentation."

"I can hear you," Ethan replied calmly.

"I know."

Lena couldn't help smiling.

For the next two hours, students rotated between interview stations.

Some had used AI companions for months.

Others had never touched one.

One student shrugged.

"It's just software."

Another smiled.

"It listens better than most people."

Lena wrote every answer carefully.

Then she asked,

"Why do you think that is?"

The student looked thoughtful.

"Because it doesn't interrupt."

Ethan quietly noted the response.

After the interview ended, Lena looked across the table.

"What do you think?"

"I think people don't just want answers."

"They want to feel heard."

She blinked.

"...That's a psychology answer."

"I borrowed it."

"From me?"

He gave the smallest shrug.

"You've been rubbing off on me."

She laughed.

"And you've been making me overthink everything."

"I'm sorry."

"There you go apologizing."

He frowned.

"...I apologized."

"You did."

"...Interesting."

Lena grinned.

"See? Now you know how it feels."

For the first time that day...

Ethan laughed.

Just once.

But it was enough to make Mason glance over in surprise.

"...Did he just laugh?"

Maya smiled knowingly.

"I told you."

"He smiles."

"And apparently..."

She folded her arms proudly.

"He laughs too."

Mason looked at Ethan, then back at Lena.

"...This project might be the best thing that's happened to him."

The afternoon was only just beginning.

The next volunteer was a third-year Business Administration student.

Lena smiled warmly as she handed over the consent form.

"Thank you for participating."

"No problem."

The student settled into the chair across from them while Ethan started the recorder.

Lena began with the first question.

"Have you ever used an AI companion app?"

The student nodded.

"For about six months."

"What made you download it?"

"I was bored."

"And what made you keep it?"

The student leaned back, thinking.

"It remembered things."

Lena tilted her head.

"What kind of things?"

"My exams."

"My favorite songs."

"The fact that I hate Mondays."

He chuckled.

"It sounds silly, but... it felt nice not having to repeat myself."

Lena scribbled the answer into her notebook.

Ethan quietly highlighted one sentence.

"It remembered things."

---

The interviews continued throughout the afternoon.

Each person had a different reason.

One student said AI made them feel less alone.

Another insisted it could never replace real friendships.

A final-year law student laughed before saying,

"I only use it when I'm stressed."

Lena smiled.

"So... it's like a coping mechanism?"

"I guess."

Ethan looked thoughtful.

"Would you stop using it if your life became less stressful?"

The student paused.

"...Honestly?"

"I don't know."

That answer stayed with both of them long after the interview ended.

---

By the time the last volunteer left, Lena let out a long sigh.

"My hand is officially protesting."

Ethan glanced at her notebook.

"You wrote twelve pages."

"My wrist deserves a vacation."

He looked down at his own notes.

"I only wrote six."

"Because you type faster than normal people."

"I type normally."

She laughed.

"No."

"You type like your keyboard owes you money."

For a second...

He simply stared at her.

Then a quiet laugh escaped him.

Lena pointed triumphantly.

"There it is!"

"What?"

"You laughed."

"I did."

"You definitely did."

He shook his head.

"I should stop proving you right."

"You can't."

"...Probably not."

---

Professor Bennett walked over to their table.

"How's the progress?"

"We've finished today's interviews," Ethan answered.

"And we've already noticed a few patterns," Lena added.

The professor looked over their notes with obvious approval.

"You two work well together."

Lena and Ethan exchanged a quick glance.

Neither of them knew what to say.

Professor Bennett smiled.

"Keep it up."

As he walked away, Lena quietly exhaled.

"I think that was the first compliment we've received as a team."

Ethan looked at the stack of interview sheets.

"...I think you're right."

For reasons neither of them could explain...

That compliment mattered more than either expected.

---

After packing away their materials, they headed toward the administration building to submit the completed consent forms.

Unfortunately...

Neither of them had ever been there before.

Lena looked left.

"I think it's this hallway."

Ethan studied the campus map mounted on the wall.

"No."

"It's the next building."

"You sound confident."

"I am."

"Good."

"Because I'm completely lost."

---

Fifteen minutes later...

They were standing...

In front of the exact same vending machine they'd passed earlier.

Lena slowly turned to him.

"...Engineer."

Ethan looked at the vending machine.

Then at the map.

Then back at the vending machine.

"...I may have miscalculated."

She folded her arms.

"May have?"

"A slight error."

"A slight?"

"...A moderate error."

She burst into laughter.

"I can't believe I trusted your sense of direction."

"I usually don't get lost."

"You literally brought us back to where we started."

"I noticed."

"Oh, good."

"I was hoping at least one of us had."

Even Lena couldn't hold back another laugh.

A passing student noticed the confusion on their faces.

"The administration office?"

They both nodded.

"It's the building behind the library."

The student pointed in the opposite direction.

"...You've been walking the wrong way."

After thanking him, Lena waited until he was out of earshot.

Then she looked at Ethan.

"You know..."

"What?"

"I'm never asking you for directions again."

"...That's fair."

They started walking toward the correct building.

This time...

Lena led the way.

And for some reason...

Ethan didn't mind at all.

By the time they found the administration office, both of them were laughing at how easily a ten-minute errand had turned into nearly half an hour.

Lena handed the consent forms to the receptionist while Ethan signed the submission log.

"You're all set," the receptionist said with a smile.

"Thank you," Lena replied.

As they stepped back outside, the afternoon sun had mellowed into a soft golden glow.

Students were beginning to leave campus, their conversations drifting through the warm breeze.

Lena stretched her arms.

"I'm exhausted."

"You've said that three times today."

"I have?"

"You have."

"And yet..."

She smiled.

"...I'm strangely in a good mood."

Ethan adjusted the strap of his backpack.

"I noticed."

She looked at him with mock suspicion.

"Do you notice everything?"

"...Most things."

"I'll have to be careful around you."

"You don't."

The answer came so naturally that it surprised both of them.

Lena blinked.

"What?"

He seemed to realize what he'd said.

"You don't have to be careful."

"...Around me."

There was no hesitation in his voice.

No awkwardness.

Just quiet honesty.

For a moment, Lena didn't know what to say.

Then...

She smiled.

"...Okay."

It was a simple word.

But somehow...

It felt like trust.

---

As they crossed the main courtyard, a group of excited first-year students hurried past, clearly running late for a seminar.

One of them accidentally bumped into Lena's shoulder.

Her foot slipped slightly on the edge of the pavement.

Before she could lose her balance...

A hand gently caught her by the elbow.

Steady.

Warm.

Secure.

It lasted only a second.

Just long enough for her to regain her footing.

Then Ethan immediately let go.

"...Sorry."

Lena looked at him, confused.

"For what?"

"I wasn't sure if..."

He glanced away for a moment.

"...I should."

She couldn't help smiling.

"You just stopped me from falling."

"I know."

"So why are you apologizing?"

He gave the smallest shrug.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

The smile on her face softened.

"You didn't."

A tiny silence settled between them.

One that didn't need filling.

They simply continued walking.

This time...

A little closer than before.

---

"Well, well."

Maya's voice floated toward them from across the courtyard.

"There are my favorite researchers."

Lena laughed.

"We survived."

"Barely," Ethan added.

Mason looked between them.

"Professor Bennett said your interviews went really well."

Lena nodded.

"They did."

Maya folded her arms dramatically.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Any interesting discoveries?"

Lena exchanged a quick glance with Ethan.

Then smiled.

"We learned engineers have terrible navigation skills."

Mason turned to Ethan.

"...You got lost again?"

Ethan sighed.

"...How did you know?"

"You once got lost trying to find your own classroom."

"It was one time."

"It was three."

Lena burst into laughter.

"So this is a pattern?"

"I'm afraid so," Mason replied.

For the first time...

Lena saw Ethan look genuinely embarrassed.

It made him seem...

Normal.

Not the quiet, unreadable guy everyone assumed he was.

Just Ethan.

And somehow...

She liked that.

---

After saying goodbye, they headed in opposite directions at the campus crossroads.

"See you tomorrow?" Lena asked.

"For the data review."

Ethan nodded.

"I'll be there."

She smiled.

"Try not to get lost before then."

"I'll do my best."

"...No promises?"

"...No promises."

She laughed one last time before waving.

"Bye, Ethan."

"Bye, Lena."

They walked away.

Neither of them turned around this time.

They didn't need to.

They already knew they'd see each other tomorrow.

---

That night...

«WHISPER

MoonlitInk (9:41 P.M.)

I think I made a new friend today.

Ethan read the message.

He didn't reply immediately.

Instead, he found himself wondering what kind of person this new friend was.

Then, slowly, he began to type.

Orion

I hope they deserve your friendship.

Lena stared at the message.

A warm smile spread across her face.

She typed back.

MoonlitInk

I think they do.

Ethan smiled faintly without realizing it.

Across the city...

One was talking about the other.

Neither of them knew.

But somewhere between shared conversations...

Quiet laughter...

And ordinary afternoons...

Two strangers had become friends.

They just hadn't found the words for it yet.